Triple Axel
by insaneantics21
Summary: Rachel decides that if a World Figure Skating Champion can do it, so can she.
1. Chapter 1

I was watching the Olympic Men's Figure Skating finals when this idea hit me and I'd been kind of toying with the idea of Rachel/Santana and thought this would be a perfect idea to put them with.

* * *

"I can do that," Rachel scoffed after the skater on the screen landed a perfect triple Axel.

"A triple Axel? Yeah, right." Santana rolled her eyes and tossed a few pieces of popcorn at the diva.

"I so could!" Rachel picked the popcorn out of her hair and up off the couch then looked at Santana and smiled.

"Have you ever even ice skated, Berry?"

Rachel sighed. "When are you going to stop calling me by my last name? This is our sixth date, Santana. Protocol called for you to cease all derogatory names when you asked me out, possibly even before then because we've been in glee club together for two years. I've allowed it thus far because your personality is naturally abrasive but I would like it if you called me Rachel."

"I only asked you out in the first place because…" Santana stopped when Rachel's head dropped.

Rachel knew that she was a rebound date when Brittany went to the Spring Fling dance with Finn two weeks prior and Santana was desperate to make the blonde jealous. It still stung a little to be reminded of it regardless of the fact that Santana asked Rachel out on a second date…and a third, fourth, and fifth. It was Rachel who initiated this one asking if Santana wanted to come over to watch the World Figure Skating Championship coverage that night.

Santana reached over and tucked Rachel's hair back behind her ear. "Look, I…I'm sorry, okay? I'm still trying to get used to this whole 'be nice to the diva' thing." Santana smiled a little. "I really do like you. It's just weird because for so long I…didn't."

Rachel nodded a little. Santana moved the popcorn bowl that was separating them and scooted over closer to her date. She wrapped an arm around Rachel's shoulders and the singer rested her head on Santana's shoulder.

"I ice skated when I was little."

"So what makes you think you can land a triple?"

"I've taken ballet since I could walk, if I can do it while on the floor I can do it on skates." Rachel's feet twitched a little bit and Santana groaned.

"You want to try it right now, don't you?"

"Well…"

"You'd rather try to land a triple Axel than cuddle? I'm offended, Berry."

Rachel pulled away and stood up. "Well I'm offended that you won't call me Rachel." The shorter brunette pushed the coffee table out of the way leaving plenty of floor space for her to attempt her trick. Santana groaned.

"You're going to hurt yourself," the Latina said. "You're going to wipe out and break something and I'm going to have to go upstairs and wake up your dads to take you to the emergency room and then Mr. Schue is going to kill me for letting you try it."

"I am not going to wipe out!"

"Seriously, please don't. Just come back here and watch the other skaters." Santana patted the space next to her that Rachel had abandoned.

"It's not that difficult. I do jumps all the time in class."

"Yeah, and I bet you're on a softer floor."

"Not really." Rachel bent over and stretched out her legs then reached up and stretched her arms. "I just have to know how to land. Which I do. I'm very coordinated."

Santana stood up and walked to the middle of the floor, blocking Rachel's path. "I'm not letting you do this. Watching it and doing it are two completely different things. You don't know the form or how hard to push off or even which foot you're supposed to land on. Plus, it's not meant to be done on a floor. You can't stick the landing, you have to keep moving. You're going to stick it and twist your ankle."

Rachel just smiled. "I'll run around you."

"I'll pin you down, don't think I won't."

"Then I'll try it some other time when you're not here. I can do it."

Santana shook her head and went back to the couch. She sat down and crossed her arms over her chest. "When you crash and burn don't say I didn't warn you."

"Will you at least kiss it and make it all better if I do?"

Santana snorted.

Rachel walked to the far wall and Santana shifted in her seat nervously. The Latina almost wanted to close her eyes because she knew this wasn't going to end well. Rachel took off in a short sprint and Santana held her breath as the girl leapt into the air and spun a few times. Unfortunately, just as Santana predicted, when Rachel landed her body kept spinning but her foot stayed planted on the carpet. Rachel let out a shriek and hit the floor. Santana jumped up off the couch and knelt down next to her.

"Don't say it," Rachel growled. She pulled the right leg of her sweatpants up and Santana carefully removed her sock. Rachel hissed at the pain.

"Why do you have to be so stubborn, Rachel? God I hope this isn't broken." Santana carefully lifted Rachel's leg up and inspected her ankle. Rachel reached forward and touched Santana's shoulder.

"What did you call me?"

"Huh?" Santana looked up at Rachel and the short brunette was smiling.

"You called me Rachel."

"No I didn't, Berry. Try to stand up."

Rachel sighed and nodded and wrapped her arm around Santana's shoulders. The Latina held onto Rachel's waist and pulled her up off of the floor. It took her a minute to get her balance on one foot but after she did Rachel pressed her injured foot to the floor and winced. Santana shook her head and dipped down to wrap one arm under Rachel's knees. She hoisted the girl up off the floor and Rachel squealed a little. The diva smiled weakly and Santana leaned in to kiss her, Rachel smiled a little more.

Santana made her way back to the couch and carefully set Rachel down, the diva whimpered a little bit when her foot made contact with the cushion. Santana looked back down at Rachel's ankle and sighed. It was starting to swell and it was turning a nice shade of purple. Santana knelt down by Rachel's feet and looked up at her, the singer looked like she could burst into tears at any minute. Santana carefully lifted her leg again and made Rachel wiggle her toes and try to move her foot up and down and roll it. Rachel whimpered again and Santana glanced up just in time to see her wipe away the tears that had escaped.

"How bad does it hurt?"

"N-not bad."

"You suck at lying. I should've stopped you." Santana grabbed one of the throw pillows and carefully propped Rachel's foot up on it. Rachel winced and Santana pressed a feather light kiss to the swollen joint. She looked back up at Rachel who was smiling again and Santana moved to sit next to Rachel, facing her.

"You know I would have tried it eventually."

"I could've kept you occupied though." Santana smirked and slipped her fingers through Rachel's hair.

Rachel shook her head. "Enticing me with offers of a sexual nature would only have delayed the attempt, not stopped it."

"Do you want me to go wake up your dads?"

"No," Rachel said softly. "I'll see how it feels in the morning."

Santana jumped a little when the mantelpiece clock struck eleven. "I should go soon," she whispered.

"You could stay. I mean…I-I'd like it if you did. If you wanted to. I know we haven't been dating that long but I don't think it would be inappropriate."

Dark eyes locked with dark eyes and Santana stayed quiet for a few moments. She was completely unaware that she'd nodded until Rachel smiled and closed the small gap that remained between them. Rachel's hand slipped around the back of Santana's neck and Santana held onto fistfuls of Rachel's dark hair. Rachel pushed her tongue into the Latina's mouth and sighed. Santana pushed back with her own and tested her limits a little by untangling her fingers from Rachel's hair and resting her hand on Rachel's shoulder. The singer didn't protest and Santana slowly moved it lower. She was almost to her goal when Rachel pulled away.

"Slow down Cheerio," Rachel said with a smile. "Stay the night doesn't mean sex."

"Just thought I'd ask." Santana dropped her head down and started kissing Rachel's neck, nipping here and licking there.

"You didn't really ask."

"Are we going to make out or talk?" Santana mumbled between pressing kisses to Rachel's neck. She tugged the collar of Rachel's t-shirt down and grazed her teeth over the soft skin where neck met shoulder.

"I think we should uh…"

Santana sank her teeth into the singer's tender flesh eliciting a deep groan from Rachel. She held onto Santana's biceps and her fingernails dug deeper into bare flesh with each bite. Santana smirked when she pulled away and admired her work. She pressed a kiss to the discolored flesh and kissed a trail up to Rachel's ear. She darted her tongue out and flicked Rachel's earlobe.

"You were saying?" Santana whispered.

"I was thinking we should go to bed. It's getting late and tomorrow is a school day."

Santana nodded. "Okay."

Santana kissed Rachel's blushed cheek before grabbing the remote and turning off the TV. She wrapped an arm around Rachel's waist and helped her stand up off the couch. Rachel leaned heavily on the Cheerio as they made their way up the stairs to Rachel's bedroom. Santana helped her into the bathroom and waited patiently outside the door. She kicked the floor a few times and looked around Rachel's bedroom. She'd been in there once before but only to use the bathroom because the one on the ground floor was being remodeled. The color wasn't too horrible. At least it wasn't pink. Unlike all of the bedding. And most of Rachel's other possessions.

Rachel opened the door and gave a smile but Santana could see the pain behind her eyes. She leaned down and picked Rachel up and carried her the five feet from the bathroom door to the queen sized canopy bed. Once Rachel was tucked in with her foot up on a pillow Santana went through the drawers Rachel instructed to find a pair of shorts (all she could find were pink ones) and a t-shirt (at least it was blue). She took her turn in the bathroom and when she exited Rachel was propped up on her elbows and smiling. Santana crawled into the bed next to the other brunette and turned off the lamp. She kept her distance until Rachel whimpered.

"What? What's wrong?" Santana asked.

"I'm cold."

"You want me to get another blanket?"

Rachel let out a frustrated sigh. "You begged me to cuddle and tried to get to second base less than an hour ago and now you won't touch me."

"You told me not to touch you! Make up your mind, will you, Berry?!"

"I told you to slow down, I never said we couldn't cuddle."

"You would rather attempt and fail miserably at a triple Axel than cuddle."

"I just wanted to prove I could do it," Rachel huffed.

"How'd that work out for you, Berry? Maybe next time you should listen to me when I want to cuddle."

Rachel growled. Santana smirked and scooted closer to Rachel and Rachel wrapped her arm around the Latina's shoulders. Santana cautiously draped her arm over Rachel's stomach and pulled her in close, her stomach pressed against Rachel's side. A few seconds of silence ticked by before Rachel broke it with a sigh.

"Santana?"

"Hm?"

"I'm not _just_ a rebound, am I? I mean…if Brittany and Finn don't last…I would appreciate knowing now if you're going to drop me should other options present themselves."

Santana sighed. "You gotta understand something, Berry. B was my first…for a lot of things, like Finn was for you. And so I'm not just going to completely forget about her just like you're not going to forget about Finn. And even though you can be a total diva and I used to find you irritating as hell most of the time and sometimes I want to set fire to your closet…"

"You're not being very encouraging."

"Let me finish will you?!" Santana snapped.

"Sorry," Rachel whispered, she and rested her free arm over Santana's that was hugging her waist, her fingertips traced patterns on the soft skin.

"I told you earlier that I like you and I meant it. If you were just a rebound I wouldn't have asked you out again. What B does now is her own business. She likes Finn, I like you."

Rachel turned her head to the side to look at Santana. "But will you stay with me if she wants you back?"

"Only if you agree that I'm right all the time and you stop throwing tricks you don't know how to land. You want to learn how to throw an Axel you're going to learn to do it right."

"It would be easier to learn if I had a proper teacher and since neither of us know anyone who can skate I doubt that will happen."

Santana stayed quiet and chewed her lip, the secret she wanted to let Rachel in on was on the tip of her tongue begging to be spoken.

"And I most definitely landed that," Rachel cut her off before she could speak.

"Really? So if I reach over and kick you in the ankle you won't scream in pain?"

"I should've attempted it on a smoother floor that would've allowed me to rotate when I landed, is all."

"Go to sleep, Berry."

Rachel growled again. Santana laughed and leaned in to kiss the diva goodnight. She snuggled in closer to Rachel's side and waited until she was breathing heavily. The Latina reached up and pushed Rachel's hair out of the way of her face and sighed.

"The answer is 'yes', Rachel," Santana whispered. "I'll stay with you."

Rachel tightened her grip on Santana's shoulder and with the faint light coming in from Rachel's window Santana saw her smile.


	2. Chapter 2

After a lecture from Rachel's dads about impromptu overnight guests and the dangers of attempting acrobatics in the living room, the men took her to the urgent care center to have her ankle x-rayed. Despite Rachel's protests, Santana followed and stayed with her all morning. Her ankle wasn't broken but it was very badly sprained and she was told to stay off of it for a couple of weeks. Santana skipped the rest of her classes, too, and reluctantly helped Rachel decorate her crutches with fuzzy pink things and she drew music notes of different colors on the aluminum. When they returned to school Santana carried Rachel's books (and occasionally Rachel if the girl complained that her arms hurt) to class every day.

After a month Rachel was back to normal and Santana made her vow on a daily basis that she'd wouldn't try any ice skating jumps on surfaces they were not meant to be tried on. Santana still carried her books and Rachel would occasionally whimper that her ankle was bothering her so the Latina would roll her eyes and pretend to be annoyed and hoist Rachel up and carry her through the hallways to class. She knew the singer was lying because half the time she said it was her left ankle that hurt when it was the right that she had injured.

There were two weeks left of school before graduation, it was a Saturday and Santana's turn to choose where they went on their date. She refused to tell Rachel where they were going when she picked her up early that morning and started driving. The only thing she requested was that Rachel had to wear jeans and socks. The singer had obliged with the dress code even though she threatened she wouldn't when Santana wouldn't reveal the location of their date.

Santana hit the interstate heading south and Rachel looked around curiously.

"Where are we going?"

"Troy," Santana said, like it was the most natural thing in the world to randomly drive an hour away for a date.

Rachel furrowed her eyebrows. "Why?"

"Change of scenery."

Rachel plugged in her iPod and shockingly enough, it wasn't the soundtrack to any Broadway musical that started playing. Instead, the beginning notes of Pink's "Don't Let Me Get Me" filled the car and Santana arched her eyebrow curiously.

"I went through your iTunes last week," Rachel said. "I took note of your most played songs and added a few others that fit the most represented genres."

"When were you near my laptop? I didn't give you permission to go through my music!"

"You left it open while we were studying and you went to get drinks. And yes, I saw that you have the soundtracks to _Wicked_ and _Spring Awakening_ along with an impressive collection of Barbra Streisand."

Santana turned bright red and clenched her jaw. "You weren't supposed to see that."

"And why not? There's nothing wrong with any of those collections. I did have to chuckle at the extensive amount of The Spice Girls, though."

"Because it's embarrassing."

"There's nothing embarrassing about having Broadway soundtracks. I have plenty of them. As well as Ms. Streisand's complete collection, of course."

"Look, I only downloaded them because I thought it might make me understand you or give us something to talk about or whatever." Santana groaned when she realized she'd said much more than she meant to. "Shit. Just…can you forget I said that?"

"Why? Because it might jeopardize your bitchy reputation the last two weeks of school? You think I might tell people that Santana Lopez, shockingly, has a soft spot for her girlfriend? Santana, you and I both know that the cruelty is simply a façade. I don't understand why you refuse to embrace your vulnerabilities."

"You think people stopped throwing slushies at you because I was nice to them?" Santana sniped. "Being a bitch got me where I am and it gave me the power to keep those assholes from doing that to you."

Rachel blinked a few times and picked at her fingernails.

"And being vulnerable or whatever isn't going to get me anywhere near political office," the Latina continued. "You want someone that wears their heart on their sleeve and cries at the drop of a hat? Go talk to Quinn. If you want someone that will do whatever the fuck she can to get what she wants and protects people she cares about then I'm your girl."

Rachel reached over and put her hand on top of Santana's on the steering wheel. "You are my girl," she whispered.

Santana gasped a little and tucked her bottom lip between her teeth.

"And it'll be better when we leave," Rachel said simply. "Julliard of course embraces the arts so I'll have no problems and the city is generally more accepting and liberal. Columbia will allow you to vent your competitive nature but I hope you'll also find that you can let down your guard a little."

Santana turned her hand over and slipped her fingers between Rachel's. "Let's just get through the end of this year, okay? Let me finish out on top and then we'll talk about a personality makeover later."

Rachel nodded and pulled their hands over to kiss the back of Santana's. She rested their hands on the center console and scrolled through her iPod. "Don't Rain On My Parade" started blasting through the speakers and Santana shook her head and mumbled the words. Rachel smiled and sang along.

When they hit the Troy city limits Santana wove through the streets until she stopped in the empty parking lot of what looked like a warehouse building. She exited the car and grabbed a duffel bag out of the back seat. Rachel followed her to the building, Santana pulled a key out of her pocket and unlocked the metal door.

"Keep your jacket on," Santana said when Rachel started to shrug it off her shoulders.

"Santana am I going to get jumped or something?"

"No, come on." Santana took Rachel's hand and pulled her through a dark hallway. She opened another door and the freezing cold hit Rachel like a brick.

"Carlos!" Santana called out into the dark space. "You moron, I told you to make sure the lights were on! Stop smoking whatever it is and get your ass down here!" Santana's voice echoed off the walls of the large space.

"Santana…" Rachel whimpered. She clung onto the Latina trying to keep warm. "Santana, what's going on?"

"Sorry, my cousin's an idiot. Here," Santana pulled her letter jacket off and wrapped it around Rachel's shoulders.

"San? Is that you?" a male voice called out.

"No, it's the voice of God! _Estúpido_, of course it's me!"

"Hold on…I gotta remember where the switch is!"

"_Ay dios mío…él está loco._"

Santana tapped her foot impatiently and Rachel still clung on to her desperately. After a few minutes there was a buzz overhead and the giant lights flickered on. Rachel audibly gasped when the space came into focus. In front of them was a big ice rink with stadium seats on either side. There was a concession counter off to one side and a skate rental counter next to it. A sign over another door indicated that on the other side of it was an arcade. Right inside the door was a huge glass case filled with trophies and medals. Rachel squinted her eyes when she swore she saw Santana's name on the base of one of the larger trophies. A tall, thin Latino man with a goatee came down a staircase and Santana punched him in the arm, Rachel turned her attention to the pair.

"I told you I was going to be here today or is your brain too fried to remember, huh?"

"I think I remember." The man scratched his head.

Santana groaned. "I talked to you last week. I told you not to open today because I was coming."

"Oh yeah! So, this her?"

Rachel was holding onto Santana for dear life and the Latina smiled. "Yeah, this is her. Rachel this is my incredibly stoned cousin Carlos."

"'Sup?" Carlos said with an intoxicated smile. He nodded his head. "So uh…I'm gonna go back upstairs. If you want a joint or somethin' you can come up."

"No, thank you," Rachel politely declined.

"You know I don't do that anymore."

Carlos shrugged. "Lock up when you're done. Oh hey! You should totally bring her to dinner tomorrow, yeah? You like Mexican food?"

"Thanks for ruining the other surprise you dumbass!" Santana scowled. She whacked Carlos on the back of the head. "Go back upstairs and smoke your weed."

Carlos just laughed and took the stairs two at a time, Santana turned back to Rachel and the shorter brunette had her eyebrow arched quizzically.

"Let's find you some skates," was all Santana said.

She pulled Rachel to the rental counter and unlocked the door. Rachel found a pair her size and pulled them on, Santana gave her a hat and spare gloves from her bag. Santana pulled her skates out of her duffel bag and laced them up then pulled out a jacket and put it on. She helped Rachel to her feet and opened the door to the ice rink. Santana stepped out first and skated to the DJ booth. She booted up the sound system and started up Carlos' 80's rock playlist. Metallica blared through the speakers and she skated back to the door where Rachel was standing and helped her onto the ice. Rachel was a little wobbly and Santana had to catch her when she fell forward.

"I thought you said you'd done this before?" Santana said when Rachel fell into her arms.

"I have…when I was younger."

Santana helped Rachel steady herself before she started moving. She gripped onto Rachel's forearms and Rachel held onto hers. Santana started skating backwards, pulling Rachel along.

"How much younger?"

"My eighth birthday?"

Santana shook her head and moved a little bit faster, Rachel gripped harder onto her forearms.

"Ready to try that triple?" Santana teased.

Rachel scowled. Santana gradually loosened her grip until Rachel was moving on her own. The Latina stayed in front of her and gave her pointers on moving and Rachel only fell a few times before she got the hang of it. Santana took her hand and they skated a few laps, Santana occasionally let go to circle Rachel just to tease her.

"So how long have you been skating?" Rachel asked. "And why didn't you tell me about it?"

Santana shrugged. "Since I could walk. My cousin Diana, Carlos' sister, skated in the Olympics in eighty-eight for Mexico before the family moved here. She's kind of my lame claim to fame. She didn't place or anything but it's still pretty cool. My mom's whole family moved here the year after that and they opened this place up." Santana chewed on her lower lip and moved around to skate backward in front of Rachel. She took the singers hands into her own and smiled. "You'll meet them tomorrow if you want to come to dinner. It's loud and they're all obnoxious and I'll have to translate a lot but I want you to come."

Rachel nodded. "I'd like that."

Santana slowed to a stop and pulled Rachel in. The shorter brunette smiled and stretched up to kiss her girlfriend. A catcall came from the balcony and Santana flipped Carlos off. She pulled away and Rachel was blushing.

"Let's see if I remember how to do this."

Rachel arched her eyebrow and Santana pulled away and took a deep breath. After Santana skated a couple of quick laps she stopped at the far edge of the rink from Rachel and smiled before she took off. She launched herself in the air and tucked her arms in and crossed her legs; her form was perfect and she smiled when she landed, arms out gracefully just as she'd been taught. Rachel squealed and applauded.

"It wasn't a triple," Santana said when she skated back up to Rachel. "I never could land one. But I think a double Axel is pretty impressive."

"Very impressive," Rachel said with a smile. "Can you do anything else?"

"How about a double Salchow?"

Rachel nodded. "Okay!"

Santana took off again and again threw the Salchow and landed it perfectly. She kept skating, calling out the jumps and spins and she did them and Rachel clapped with delight after each one. Santana took a deep breath and slowed to a stop again. She bent over with her hands on her knees and focused.

"Triple Axel!" she yelled. She was determined to do it even though she hadn't ever successfully landed it and hadn't tried to do so in a long time. She took off and when her speed was just right she closed her eyes and tucked in her arms and jumped. She felt herself go around once, twice, three times and her blade hit the ice…followed by the rest of her.

"Damn," she muttered when she sat up. Rachel managed to skate over to her and dropped to her knees.

"You okay?" Rachel asked, pushing a few loose strands of hair out of Santana's face.

Santana nodded. "My ass broke my fall."

"You almost had it, you know?"

Santana snorted. "Almost isn't what I was going for." She stood up and pulled Rachel with her.

There was a few seconds of silence before the next song started playing. Santana groaned and rolled her eyes when the orchestral notes of Aerosmith's "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing" started. She glanced toward the DJ booth and Carlos ducked down.

"Sorry," Santana muttered.

"Don't be." Rachel smiled and started skating, Santana followed, her gloved hand in Rachel's. "I love this song."

"Maybe I shouldn't introduce you to the rest of them. It only gets worse when you meet my older cousins and my grandmother. She's been asking me for great-grandchildren since my Quinceañera."

Rachel looked up at Santana, mouth gaped open. "Grandchildren? They do know I can't get you pregnant, right?"

"They know. Nana says I can adopt Mexican orphan or, and I quote, 'do what that nice lesbian couple down the street did and use a turkey baster'. Only it was in Spanish which for some reason makes it funnier."

Rachel giggled. "That's how I got here."

"I know, you told me in the third grade."

Rachel nodded and Santana knew she was holding back reminding the Latina that she'd called Rachel a freak and pushed her into the dirt. She skated around in front of Rachel again and took her other hand. She swung Rachel around and the diva grinned.

"Don't wanna close my eyes," Rachel sang softly. "Don't wanna fall asleep…"

"'Cause I'd miss you, babe," Santana mumbled. "And I don't wanna miss a thing."

When the song ended Santana pulled Rachel in and kissed her. She led the shorter girl off the ice and took her skates back to the rental counter while Rachel put on her shoes. Carlos shut off the music and met the girls at the door.

"It was wonderful to meet you," Rachel said with a smile.

"Totally," Carlos said. "You comin' tomorrow, yeah?"

"Yes, I'm looking forward to meeting the rest of your family."

"You're not like Jewish or anything are you? They'll go all _loco_ and try to burn you at the stake, you know?"

Rachel gasped and her eyes widened. Santana smacked Carlos upside the head.

"You ass! Don't scare her like that!"

"Just playin' cous'!"

Rachel looked like she was about to cry and Santana wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her in. "He was kidding. I told you, he's an idiot. He's just trying to make you sweat a little. They don't care, okay? They already know."

"Oh." Rachel nodded and smiled a little.

Carlos just laughed and Santana smacked his arm before she hugged him.

"See you tomorrow night," he said.

Santana nodded once and took Rachel's arm. She led her through the door they came in, down the hallway and then through the big metal door again. She locked it up and shrugged off her jacket and slung it over her shoulder.

"Never listen to anything he says, ever. He once told B she was eating duck enchiladas and it took me three hours to calm her down. He's just an ass. I only put up with him because he's family."

Rachel nodded and pulled the front of Santana's letter jacket tighter around her even though it was warm outside and she didn't really need it. Santana opened her door for her before tossing her duffel bag in the back and she drove them through a McDonald's drive thru for lunch and rolled her eyes when Rachel asked for a Happy Meal. Santana practically growled into the speaker that she wanted a grilled chicken sandwich with a bottle of water and a Chicken McNugget Happy Meal…with a princess toy. Rachel bounced in her seat when Santana handed over the box.

Once back in Lima, Santana drove through town until she pulled up to Rachel's house. She waited for Rachel to unplug her iPod before she leaned over to kiss her.

"Don't eat lunch tomorrow," Santana said. "Nana is going to make you eat two helpings of everything. Make sure the waistband of your skirt has a little give to it."

Rachel nodded. "I had fun today."

"Me too."

"I honestly didn't expect it. It was a very pleasant surprise. And very sweet, whether you intended for it to be or not."

Santana shrugged. "I try."

Rachel smiled and leaned in to kiss the Latina again. Santana slipped her tongue into Rachel's mouth and wrapped her fingers around the back of the singer's neck, pulling her in closer. Rachel pushed back with her tongue and tangled her fingers in Santana's hair. Tongues dueled and Rachel thought seriously about just pulling the Latina inside with her until her phone rang.

"Sorry," Rachel gasped when she pulled away. She pulled her phone out of her purse and her face turned red. "Hi Daddy," she answered quietly. She paused and looked up at Santana then towards the front door. "Um yes, I was planning on coming inside." Another pause. "Daddy!" Rachel squealed, "that was inappropriate!"

Santana turned red and looked passed Rachel to the front door of the Berry house and saw Rachel's Daddy standing in the doorway, phone pressed to his ear and doubled over in laughter.

"Yes, I will tell her! Now go back inside!" Rachel shut her phone and looked down at her lap. "Daddy told me that…" Rachel turned even redder. "He told me that if I can keep my mouth unoccupied for long enough that I should invite you in for a movie."

Santana smiled and rolled her eyes then reached over and tucked Rachel's hair behind her ear. Rachel looked up and smiled a little.

"I wish I could but since dinner is at our house tomorrow I promised my parents I would help out cleaning and rolling out tortillas."

Rachel nodded. "Okay," she said with a smile.

"I'll pick you up at five."

"Okay."

Rachel leaned forward again and Santana caught the girl's lower lip in her teeth and gave it a tug. Rachel let out a soft moan and returned the favor. Santana smirked when she pulled away.

"You should go before he calls again," Santana whispered.

"Thanks again for today. I had a really good time."

"Me too, Rach."

Rachel grinned. "That happened sooner than I ever expected."

"What?"

"Well a month ago you finally made the transition from calling me by my last name to my first. I didn't expect for you to shorten it for another two years." Rachel smirked. Santana shook her head and pressed a kiss to the diva's forehead.

"Yeah, well…I like you a lot more than I ever expected."

"Oh yeah? How much?"

"You're a narcissist, Berry."

Rachel growled. "Is it a horrible thing to want to know how much your girlfriend likes you?" She turned to open the car door and Santana caught her arm and pulled her back.

"I've never made Carlos shut down the rink before. Not for _anyone_. I wanted today to be about us and I didn't want to have to skate around a bunch of kids and have their parents look at us like we've got three heads each. I wanted to spend it with you and just you and I'll do it again whenever you want, just tell me when. That is how much I like you, okay?"

Rachel turned around and raised her eyebrows. "Not even for Brittany?"

"B _hated_ skating. She complained that it was too cold and too crowded. Even when I really wanted to go she would whine until I caved and we did something else. She…she didn't really care that I loved it. She made me quit doing it to join the Cheerios. When you asked me to watch the championships and you told me you wanted to throw tricks…it felt really good. Like…I know you didn't know I was into it but it was still really cool, okay? It felt good to know you'd actually appreciate it and give a shit."

The signature Rachel Berry smile spread across the diva's lips. She pulled Santana into a hug and kissed her cheek. "I do appreciate it. You looked amazing on the ice, Santana." Rachel was still smiling when she pulled away. "You looked like you were having fun, I loved watching you. I want to go again. I want you to teach me."

The corners of Santana's mouth curled into a soft smile. "I swear to God if you tell anyone I got soft I won't teach you a damn thing, got it?"

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Of course. I should go." Rachel glanced over her shoulder. "My dads are watching through the window."

Santana smirked and leaned in for another kiss. "Tomorrow at five."

"Tomorrow at five," Rachel repeated.

Rachel shrugged off Santana's letter jacket and left it in the seat when she exited the car. Santana picked up the jacket and caught a waft of Rachel's citrusy smelling perfume and she watched the diva walk through the yard up to the front door. She wasn't really walking, she was twirling and doing bunny hop jumps all the way to the door and Santana couldn't help but smile. Rachel turned and waved to her when she opened the door, Santana waved back and wondered how she ever missed that Rachel Berry was actually kind of…awesome.

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I will eventually be adding a third chapter of dinner with Santana's family so check back =)


	3. Chapter 3

I've done my best to make sure everything that is in Spanish is explained or easy to figure out by context clues but if something confuses you just ask =)

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**-Part 3-**

Santana was at Rachel's house promptly at five o'clock the next day. She said hello to Rachel's fathers and made small talk with them while Rachel finished getting ready. Santana smiled when she saw the other brunette descend the staircase from her room and Rachel kissed each of her father's cheeks before Santana took her arm and led her to the car.

"Okay," Santana said when they were buckled in and ready to go. "Okay. It's going to be fine."

"What?" Rachel arched her eyebrow. Santana backed out of the Berry's driveway.

"I'm just a little…like…_mi familia está loco y estoy nervioso y-_"

"Santana," Rachel cut her off. She reached over and took the Latina's hand in her own. "You really need to stop sporadically rambling in Spanish. While I did take two years of it and I brushed up today in order to try and keep up at least a little tonight, I am not anywhere close to fluent."

"Sorry," Santana mumbled. "I'm just nervous. My family is kind of crazy. I didn't really think about it until last night after I dropped you off and Mami was talking about everyone that's going to be there and none of them really have filters between their brains and their mouths."

"Which you inherited."

Santana scowled. "I'm getting better."

"You are. I apologize for interrupting. Continue."

Santana shook her head. "They're just all loud and they're probably going to tell really embarrassing stories. And then there's Nana…Imagine a little seventy-year-old version of me, okay? That's her. Like, she's not a bitch or anything. She's just really kind of…blunt."

"Stop worrying," Rachel said brightly. "My years of theater training have prepared me to expect the unexpected."

Santana nodded and kept driving. The house that she had left almost empty now had several cars parked out front. She opened Rachel's car door for her and linked arms with the girl to walk her to the front door. Santana paused before she opened the door and looked nervously at her girlfriend.

"I might not see you for a little while when we get inside, just so you know. They're going to drag you away from me. I'll try to follow and translate but…it's kind of like a swarm of bees."

Rachel blinked. "O-okay."

Santana took a deep breath and pushed open the front door, the pair was met with the aroma of spices and loud chattering. As soon as the door slammed shut all eyes were on the girls. Santana gripped hard onto Rachel's hand. Rachel smiled her signature Rachel Berry smile. Santana's mother, Estella, pushed through the crowd and greeted Rachel with a hug.

"_Buenas tardes, Señora López. ¿Cómo está Usted ?_"

Santana's mother grinned like she always did when Rachel greeted her in Spanish. "_Muy bien, Rachel._" Mrs. Lopez wrapped her arm around Rachel's shoulders and pulled her toward the crowd of people that had gathered in the living room. "Come, come in and meet the family!"

Santana followed close behind while introductions to the aunts, uncles, and older cousins were made. She stuck close behind as best she could but was eventually separated from her girlfriend as the mass of her relatives encircled Rachel and offered her baskets of chips that were being passed around.

"Tell Rachel I'll be in the kitchen," Santana said to her Aunt Cecilia.

The woman smiled and tousled Santana's hair.

The young Latina made her way to the kitchen and saw her Nana where she always was for family dinners, standing at the stove stirring pots and checking the trays full of food in the oven.

"Nana, do you need help?"

"_¡Santana! ¿Cómo estás, mi'ja?_"

"I'm good, Nana. What can I do to help?"

"Nothing, mi'ja. Shouldn't you be taking care of your guest? " Santana's grandmother lifted one of the lids to a huge pot, checking on the tamales.

"Everyone kind of surrounded her. I don't even want to imagine what kind of things they're telling her about me." Santana picked up a spoon and stirred the pot of rice a few times before her grandmother smacked her hand away.

"If you marry her she will find things out, mi'ja. Might as well get it out of the way now."

"Nana! We just started dating! You're going to scare her away if you say things like that." Santana crossed her arms over her chest and nervously shifted her weight.

Nana chuckled.

Rachel appeared in the kitchen doorway, escorted by Carlos and Santana immediately went to her girlfriend and wrapped her arms around Rachel's waist, Rachel slipped her arms around Santana's neck and smiled.

"Good luck," Carlos whispered before he went back to the living room.

"You survived," Santana said. "Did they tell you anything…embarrassing?"

Rachel shook her head. "Mostly just introductions and questions. Carlos was translating for me at first but after my first answer your mother smacked him and translated for me."

Santana growled. "I'll smack him again later."

Rachel glanced around Santana to look at Santana's grandmother who had begun humming while she stirred a pot of sauce on the stove. Santana looked back over her shoulder, took a deep breath and swallowed hard. The young Latina took Rachel's hand and slowly pulled her towards her grandmother.

"Nana…"

"_Mi'ja_." The old woman raised her eyebrows and smiled.

Santana squeezed Rachel's hand. "_Nana, se presento mi novia-_"

Rachel cut Santana off, Santana recognized Rachel's "I want to impress someone" face when the short brunette introduced herself. "_Me llamo Rachel. Mucho gusto, Señora…_"

"No, no," the old woman smiled and gripped onto Rachel's shoulders, "no 'señora'! _¡Eres familía! Llámame Nana. ¡Vamos!_"

Rachel looked over at Santana.

"She says you're family and you should call her Nana."

Rachel nodded.

"Nana," Santana said, turning to her grandmother, "_en inglés, por favor._"

The old woman nodded and pulled Rachel away from Santana toward the stove. Rachel looked back at her girlfriend, eyes wide and jaw slightly open.

"Look here," the old woman said, lifting the lid on the tamales. "Next time you come early, I teach you!"

Rachel nodded.

"Now," Santana's grandmother turned Rachel to her, the two were at eye level in terms of height, and she settled her hands on Rachel's shoulders. She looked up and down Rachel, the brunette shifted nervously until the woman smiled. "You are good to my little Santana?"

"Nana!"

"_¡Ayuda tu madre! __Estoy hablando con Rachel._"

"_Nana, no diga cosas embarazosas, por favor._"

The woman scoffed and shooed Santana out of the kitchen. Rachel looked around, completely confused. Once Santana was gone Nana turned back to Rachel and smiled

"She is afraid I embarrass her! I send her to help her mother so we can talk." Nana raised her eyebrows expectantly. "Now, you are good to Santana?"

"Well…yes, I-I am," Rachel stammered. "I try to be."

"She took you to ice skating yesterday, no?"

Rachel's eyes lit up. "Yes, we had a wonderful time! I thoroughly enjoyed myself."

"Good! That Dutch girl," Santana's grandmother turned back to the stove and looked into the oven, "she make Santana stop to do that cheering. I did not like it. She was good, so good! Medals and trophies all the time! She could have been to the Olympics like her cousin!"

"Medals and trophies?"

"Sí! She went all over to do it and she won all the time! I was so proud of my little Santana. You, you like it though? The skating?"

"Yes, I love it. I'm not good at it, my creative training has mostly dealt with vocal studies but Santana's offered to teach me."

"Santana tells me that! She said you are gifted with the singing! 'Nana,' she says to me, 'Rachel has the voice of an angel. She will be famous'. She tells me that first time she talks about you."

"She said that?"

"Sí! She says all the time that you will go to Julliard and be famous. Come here, look at enchiladas!"

Rachel peered into the oven at the pans full of food. "They look delicious."

"You see, when the top is like that, with the bubbles, they are done! You go tell Santana and the rest to get ready."

Rachel nodded and shuffled out of the kitchen to the dining room where Santana was setting out plates with her mother.

"Nana says that everything is almost done," Rachel informed the pair. Santana smiled and pulled Rachel in for a kiss.

"So what all did your learn about me that's going to send you running?"

"That I have the voice of an angel." Rachel smirked. "And you should be in the Olympics."

"Nana!" Santana growled. "I swear that…"

Rachel cut Santana off with a kiss, Santana's hands went to Rachel's hips and Santana's mother cleared her throat. Rachel pulled away and blushed and Santana tugged her to the living room to let all of the adults know the dinner was ready and she pulled Rachel down to the basement. There were about a dozen children running around shouting and laughing. Rachel smiled.

"_¡Niños!_" Santana yelled over the commotion. "_¿Quieren comida?_"

There was a collective gasp and the herd of children ran toward the steps and yelled about food, Santana pulled Rachel out of the way just in time to avoid getting run over by the stampede.

"I can't believe Nana is nagging me to add to that," Santana said, rolling her eyes.

Rachel nodded.

Santana pulled the shorter girl in and settled her hands back on Rachel's hips. "It's going to be a while before we can get to the kitchen since the rugrats get their food before it goes on the table," the Latina said, smirking. "Want to kill some time?"

Rachel glanced up at the stairs and then back to Santana and nodded with a grin. Santana pulled her to the couch and sat down, Rachel straddled her lap, Santana's hands went back to her hips and Rachel threaded her fingers through Santana's hair and hungrily attacked her lips.

It wasn't until they heard a giggle come from the direction of the staircase that the pair realized exactly how long they had been in the basement. Rachel scrambled up off of the couch and Santana lunged for the staircase.

The young boy was too fast for her and he dashed up the stairs screaming, "Tana and that girl was kissing! I saw 'em use their tongues! It was so gross!"

Santana groaned when she heard him yell and repeat that to everyone again once he got upstairs.

"_Ay dios mío_," Santana groaned. "That's Isias. And I'm going to kill him."

The pair straightened out their appearances before heading up the stairs, both bright red. When they passed the table set up in the living room for the kids they were met with giggles and kissing noises. Santana only mumbled under her breath and hastily pulled Rachel toward the dining room. The reaction there wasn't much better, the adults snickered and Santana's mother shook her head. Santana tried to take the empty place next to her grandmother who was at the head of the table but the old woman swiped at her and pointed at the second chair down and Santana moved down to let Rachel take the seat.

"It's okay, bonita," Nana said, patting Rachel's hand when the brunette sat down. "I understand young love. You do not want to keep your hands away, hm? As long as you are safe!"

Santana choked on her water and Rachel immediately reached over and rubbed the girl's back while she sputtered. Santana smiled appreciatively and Rachel handed her a napkin to wipe her chin with.

When the food was passed around Rachel took what she thought were appropriate portions of what she was offered but when she handed the dish to Nana the old woman would spoon an extra helping onto her plate and smile. Rachel was glad she'd listened to Santana and worn a skirt that was a little bit loose around the waist. After Nana blessed their food the roar of the conversation (mostly in Spanish) filled the room. Santana saw the look on Rachel's face that said she was incredibly confused and trying desperately to keep up. The Latina just nudged her and motioned to Rachel's plate, encouraging her to eat. Rachel took a fork full of enchilada and Santana started in on her tamales.

Santana was focused on listening to a conversation her mother and her Aunt Cecelia were having when her cousin Diana nudged her and gestured to Rachel.

"Is she okay, San?"

Santana glanced over at her girlfriend who was bright red and a sweat had broken out on her forehead.

"Rachel?"

Rachel turned to look at her girlfriend, tears in her eyes and with a small smile. "I'm fine," she squeaked.

Santana quickly took a forkful of enchilada and groaned. "Nana! I told you to tone it down on the enchiladas! Rachel isn't used to spicy food!"

Santana reached for Rachel's water glass and held it to the singer's mouth and put her other hand on the back of Rachel's neck. Rachel drank like she'd been deprived of water for days. When she finished off her glass Santana handed hers over and Rachel got about halfway through it before she signaled she was okay.

"_¡Hice! ¡Quité la mayoría de las semillas de jalapeño!_" Nana said insistently.

Rachel raised her eyebrow.

"She said she took out _most_ of the jalapeno seeds," Santana sighed. "You probably bit down on one."

"When it wasn't searing my tongue it was delicious," Rachel assured Santana's grandmother.

The old woman smiled. "You get used to it, bonita."

Santana watched as Rachel carefully picked through the rest of her food to pull out anymore jalapeño seeds. The shorter brunette was still slightly red from the other spices but she never let on aside from drinking almost an entire pitcher of water by herself.

"So San," Carlos said from across the table. "You should come by the rink more now, yeah? Since this one won't make you quit."

"Carlos, come on. I don't want to get into this."

"She was good," Diana, said. "If she'd stuck with it she would have been better than me. Half that case of trophies is hers. _Sabas que_, she went to junior nationals when she was twelve. Took sixth."

"I was unaware of that," Rachel said, eyebrows raised.

"Tía Estella, we should get out the videos!" Carlos smirked at Santana and the Latina groaned.

"No, Mami, don't."

"I'd love to see them," Rachel said with a bright smile. Santana snapped her head and glared at her girlfriend.

"No way."

"I'll see them eventually. And you saw mine."

"I saw yours against my will."

"Santana! You be nice to your Rachel!" Nana snapped.

Rachel beamed and Nana patted her shoulder.

"Sí, Nana," Santana mumbled. She picked at her enchiladas and Rachel leaned over and pecked her cheek.

"We don't have to watch them," Rachel said. "It's fine."

"Nonsense!" Nana said. "You see how good my little dancer was!"

An hour later the entire family was gathered in the living room and Carlos had the remote and pushed in one of the videos. The screen was fuzzy for a few seconds before a young Santana Lopez came into focus standing perfectly still in the middle of an ice rink. Rachel watched in amazement as she twirled and jumped and landed Axels and Lutzes and the crowd went wild.

"She was twelve," Diana said. "I coached her for months on this routine even though she had it perfect the first time she did it. Natural talent."

"I did not like it when she quit," Nana sighed. "It made you so happy, mi'ja."

"Nana I had a lot of other stuff to do."

"Your Rachel would not mind it if you skated again. She likes to watch, she told me."

Rachel smiled and nudged Santana. The Latina crossed her arms over her chest and grumbled, Rachel just shook her head and pried one of Santana's hands out and kissed it. There was a collective "aww" from the room and both girls blushed. Rachel settled her head on Santana's shoulder for the remainder of the routine. When the video was done Rachel pecked her girlfriend on the cheek and Santana sighed and wrapped her arm around Rachel's shoulders and the pair stayed cuddled while the rest of the adults started talking again and the children went back down to the basement.

"If you wanted to take it up again…"

"We're leaving in a couple months, it'd be kind of pointless now."

"There are ice rinks in New York. We can skate at Rockefeller Center in the winter."

"For fun, yeah. But doing it competitively might get in the way of my plans for taking over the world."

Rachel shook her head and snuggled in a little closer.

Little by little the family started leaving with rounds of hugs and Santana let out a relieved sigh that the night had gone much better than she expected and she hadn't been humiliated too much. She and Rachel went back to cuddling on the couch after Carlos left and Nana smiled at them from her armchair.

"Did you have a good time?" Santana asked.

"I did."

Santana felt the blood rush to her cheeks when Rachel looked into her eyes and smiled her famous 'Rachel Berry' smile.

"You're not going to never return my calls again or anything, are you?"

"I didn't find out anything too incriminating. Maybe after next week?" Rachel winked and Santana shook her head with a smile and kissed Rachel's forehead.

"Santana," Nana said as she stood from her armchair. "Go help your mother."

Santana nodded and got up from the couch and headed to the kitchen. She stood by the door and peeked out and watched Nana settled herself next to Rachel and take the singer's hands into hers. Rachel straightened her shoulders and sat up attentively.

"You are in love," Nana said. Santana stopped breathing.

Rachel was rendered speechless and Santana knew if she could see her girlfriend's face it would be one of absolute shock.

"I…" Rachel gasped. "Santana…is a wonderful girl…but we haven't been together that long."

"I know, bonita. But you look at my Santana with love. It is in your eyes. You will see." Nana patted her hands and smiled. "She looks at you the same. Even right now while she listens. She is curious what I am saying, aren't you mi'ja?"

Santana squeaked and jumped away from the door. She took a few deep breaths and walked back into the living room and dropped down to the couch.

"I will go help in the kitchen. You talk." Nana stood and kissed each girl on the top of the head and cackled before she disappeared through the door. Rachel scooted closer to Santana and dropped her head down onto the Latina's shoulder.

"So apparently we're in love," Rachel said.

Santana shifted uncomfortably. "I heard."

"What do you have to say on the subject?"

"Uh…Okay, so…Nana is kind of known for uh…knowing things. Like what the babies will be before they're born."

Rachel perked up. "She has a sixth sense? Like me?"

"Sure."

"Do you think she's right?"

"She's never been wrong. She told me when B and I started…you know…Well, she never actually told me anything but I could tell she didn't really like her. She never said she'd teach B anything in the kitchen and she never talked to her. She likes you. A lot."

"She's a very interesting woman."

"She is."

"We've only been dating a month," Rachel noted. "It would be absurd to think that after all the time we hated each other that…"

"I think she's right," Santana cut Rachel off. Never one to not trust her grandmother she knew in her heart that Rachel was unique and what they had wasn't a high school fling.

"Me too," Rachel whispered. "I just wasn't sure if you…I mean, given our history…"

Santana turned her head to look at her girlfriend and rolled her eyes. "Shut up and kiss me, Berry."

Rachel grinned and leaned in, Santana met her halfway and took Rachel's bottom lip between her teeth and tugged. Rachel whimpered and darted her tongue out to meet Santana's and a chuckle at the kitchen door broke them apart. Rachel turned red and buried her head into Santana's neck.

"Nana! Can I please make out with my girlfriend in peace?!"

Rachel groaned. Nana laughed harder.

"Oh, mi'ja, you will have plenty of time for that! She's not going anywhere. Your mother asks if you will take me home."

"Of course, Nana. I have to take Rachel home anyway."

Santana helped Rachel off the couch and out to her car, Nana followed close behind. Santana and Rachel both argued that the woman should sit up front but Nana was stubborn and dropped into the back seat with a smirk.

"You sit with your Rachel," she said.

Santana groaned and slid into the driver seat, Rachel smiled appreciatively and took Santana's hand for the drive to Nana's house. Rachel enthusiastically volunteered to walk the old woman to the door.

"_Bienvenido a la familia, bonita,_" Nana said with a smile after Rachel hugged her.

Rachel blushed. "_Gracías_," she said, grinning.

When Nana was safely inside Rachel skipped back to the car where Santana was waiting with her door open. Rachel rewarded her with a kiss and a smack to the backside. Santana squealed and Rachel giggled and quickly ducked into the car before the Latina had a chance to return the gesture. The quick drive to Rachel's house was spent with the shorter girl as close to her girlfriend as she could get with her head on Santana's shoulder and their fingers laced together on the center console.

Santana walked Rachel to her front door and dipped down to kiss the shorter brunette but Rachel backed away and nervously clutched her lower lip between her teeth.

"You really meant it, right? About believing your grandmother?"

Santana nodded. "I did."

"So you really do? Love me?"

"Yeah, I guess I kinda do." Santana smiled and pushed Rachel's hair back.

"Okay," Rachel said with a nod. "Good. That's good. Because…I guess I kind of love you, too."

Santana dipped down and kissed her girlfriend goodnight, Rachel wrapped her arms around the Latina's neck and held on until the porch lights flickered and they heard laughter from inside.

"I'll call you before I go to bed," Rachel said, turning and putting one hand on the doorknob.

Santana smiled and kissed Rachel's cheek and had to try really hard not to skip like a little girl back to her car. When Rachel called her that night there was a pause before they hung up the phone and Santana took a deep breath. She opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by Rachel who Santana could hear was smiling her signature Rachel Berry smile.

"_Te amo_," Rachel whispered.

Santana was fairly glad she was alone because the smile on her face would have ruined her bitch reputation immediately.

"_Te amo mi estrella de oro_."

"Huh?"

Santana giggled. "_Estrella de oro_. Gold star."

"Oh…should I come up with a name for you? I…I hadn't really thought about…"

Santana resisted the urge to call Rachel a nerd or a geek and just clenched her jaw shut. "Rach, calm down. You don't have to, okay? Get some sleep. I'll call you tomorrow."

"You, too. Goodnight, Santana."

After she hung up the phone Santana put her hands behind her head and stared up at her bedroom ceiling at the glow-in-the-dark stars that had been there since she was seven. A particularly large one was right over her head and she arched her eyebrow at it and smiled. She jumped off her bed and dug through her nail polish box before she found her glittering gold and she stood up on her bed and pulled the star down. She took her time painting it, making sure it was absolutely perfect. So it was a little cheesy and meant she was kind of whipped by Rachel Berry but it didn't matter because she was most definitely kind of a little bit in love with her and so she was allowed to be a little cheesy. She stuck the star back up on her ceiling as soon as it dried and stared at it.

Three weeks later, when Santana and Rachel were snuggled up next to each other in Santana's bed after their graduation ceremony Rachel looked up at the star and giggled when Santana tried to give an explanation that wouldn't make her sound like a total dork. Santana silenced her with a kiss and made her forget about the star on the ceiling by making the brunette see her own stars and Santana decided that if her Nana was right and Rachel was going to be around for a long time that she definitely wouldn't mind it, especially with afternoons like these.


End file.
